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A type of vascular headache, cluster headache
suggests clustering of headaches in the head. It behaves peculiarly in
the sense, that it may occur for a period of few weeks or months and
then may disappear completely, sometimes, even for years altogether.
Considered to be quite rare, the reasons behind cluster headaches are
still unclear.
Just as a vascular headache, it is thought to be
caused by the swelling of blood vessels in the head with chemically
active proteins found in nerve endings around blood vessels of the
trigeminal nerve. It is also believed that there is some abnormality in
the autonomic nervous system that leads to this disorder. A disturbance
in the neurotransmitter serotonin is also being held responsible for the
disease
Cluster headache starts suddenly
without giving any warning except a slight discomfort or a mild burning
sensation in one side of the head. This warning may last for a period of
30 - 45 minutes but the actual headache may last for a few hours usually
occurring at around the same period almost every day. Generally, the
sufferers complain of it during the night or early morning hours. The
patients may even be awakened by it. It is because of this quality that
these are called ‘alarm clock headaches’. Other names attributed to
cluster headaches are histamine headache, red migraine and Hortony's
headache.
The pain in cluster headaches is described as intense,
severe and of a piercing kind. It may either be throbbing or constant.
In fact, cluster pains are so intense that the scalp becomes tender, the
arteries can be seen pulsating and the patient can not sit still.
With
some patients, these headaches may occur seasonally. But, with others,
it may be a regular feature of the calendar.
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